[A Lot Of Homework Or Much Homework
Rancul Ratha
Pope and her colleagues found that too much homework can diminish its effectiveness and even be counterproductive. They cite prior research indicating that homework benefits plateau at about two hours per night, and that 90 minutes to two and a half hours is optimal for high school.
* Greater stress: 56 percent of the students considered homework a primary source of stress, according to the survey data. Forty-three percent viewed tests as a primary stressor, while 33 percent put the pressure to get good grades in that category. Less than 1 percent of the students said homework was not a stressor.
* Reductions in health: In their open-ended answers, many students said their homework load led to sleep deprivation and other health problems. The researchers asked students whether they experienced health issues such as headaches, exhaustion, sleep deprivation, weight loss and stomach problems.
The results offer empirical evidence that many students struggle to find balance between homework, extracurricular activities and social time, the researchers said. Many students felt forced or obligated to choose homework over developing other talents or skills.
Everyday, teachers assign their students homework based on the current lesson taught that class period. A majority, if not all teachers, decide to give out homework almost every class and have it due the next time the students are in that class (usually two days later). Whether it be just one homework sheet or sometimes a more timely assignment, assigning too much for one teenager to handle is not helpful.
Overall, students are given way more homework than what is necessary. Teachers need to realize that their students have multiple classes and get many assignments every night, which can have very negative effects. The use of homework is effective when it is actually needed and necessary. Overwhelming kids with loads of homework can cause stress, which can already be hard to deal with at this age. Homework takes away from the small amount of time kids get to spend with their families, cause mental and physical harm and overall just be useless at times. Schools need to see this issue and put in effort to help their students be successful in more than just their grades and GPA.
When it comes down to it, the student comes first. That means their physical, mental, and emotional health, above all the other results educators might have been taught to strive for. Do not sacrifice the health of the student for the final class percentage on the final exam. If you are teaching an AP class or just a tough subject to a class full of Seniors, then homework is inevitable. But communication will win out every time. By at least explaining the amount of homework, you will find a better rapport with the students expected to complete the work. If you are curious about teaching strategies or want to learn more about how NSHSS works with educators, visit our website for more information!
NSHSS is a distinguished academic honor society, committed to recognizing and serving the highest-achieving student scholars in more than 26,000 high schools across 170 countries. With access to valuable resources and a network of more than 2 million exceptional peers spanning high school to college and career, NSHSS scholars embody academic dedication and outstanding leadership in their schools, workplaces, and communities.
One other thing you might like to try is to some short recreational activity first, preferably something active, and not video game related. Then, clear a space for homework. That will set a lighter tone to the evening.
When children have learning problems, their parents are usually the first to notice that something is just not right. Teachers often notice a child having trouble in their class. And when they notice, they want reliable information so they can help their students.
We live in Florida. I HATE FCAT!!!! My daughter is in the fourth grade andhas a learning problem. I had her tested privately since the school would notdo it. She also has ADHD, and is on a 504 Plan (FINALLY!). She takes Adderall and I still do not see any progress - although her teachers say differently. Her basic problems are reading comprehension and math.
Tuesday/Thursday she has FCAT class after school for one hour (Tuesday reading and Thursday math). Every night she is REQUIRED/SUPPOSED to do 30 minutes of FCAT Explorer (weekends included). Every night she is REQUIRED/SUPPOSED to do 30 minutes of reading so she can take Reading Counts tests (weekends included). Then we have hours of homework almost every night and HOURS on the weekend. I say hours because I do it with her and try to make sure she understands it as it seems her school is not doing a good job. I will not let her just do and do it wrong.
LD OnLine is the leading website on learning disabilities and learning differences. Parents and teachers of children with learning disabilities will find supportive and authoritative guidance on attention deficit disorder, ADD / ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, reading difficulties, speech, and related disorders.
Many students complain about how much homework they always have, but teachers often say that they are overreacting and need to just do the work. Students get a lot of homework every night and most have to balance their school work with the extracurriculars they are involved in. According to most students, teachers assign way too much homework.
Teachers assign homework for students to get more practice. This is a good thing for students if they are getting the right amount of it. When they are given excessive amounts of homework, it is causing them to have bad outcomes, instead of learning the right way of doing things. They get way too much and it is not benefiting them in good ways.
If teachers want the students to get better at the things they are learning, they should still assign homework for practice, just not as much of it. A couple of problems, up to a page of homework per night, per class, would be a lot more reasonable for kids. Teachers need to focus on the kids getting better rather than giving them bucket loads of homework every night.
Students do not need 20-30 problems for each class, every night. Instead, they should get a couple of problems assigned so they can get practice, and then move on to their next subject without having to stress over getting it all done. They will then have time to relax and spend time with their families.
I am a retired RN with a minor in Psychology I want to say that children are not allowed to be children anymore and teachers need to stop giving homework all together. We are trying to turn them into adults before their time. I believe we need to get rid of lockers and book bags and if you need a hardback book they should be shared by the classroom or done digital. There should not be anymore book and or licker fees and all homework should be done at school so that the teachers help the students that need it there in school. There are far too many parents that does not have a clue on home to help their students get their homework. There should be a metal detector at every door that allows anyone into the school. That way we can keep our children.
I half way agree with you, I am a current student in high school. Some teachers do not explain enough on the work in class it can be confusing for students later on. I personally think that they should record lessons. Looking back at notes can stress students even more if they dont themselves understand the notes they were told to copy down. But to much work on the computer without proper guidelines on those devices students can get easily distracted from work. Also some students learn better hands on for example math. Also backpacks are nice to have to carry things around, it is like a purse for students. Also some teacher still assign books, but I do understand some problems with backpacks. Backpacks are an easy way for students to bring unwanted items to school. Also I most definitely agree that most parents do not understand homework that is assigned.
When redesigning a course or putting together a new course, faculty often struggle with how much homework and readings to assign. Too little homework and students might not be prepared for the class sessions or be able to adequately practice basic skills or produce sufficient in-depth work to properly master the learning goals of the course. Too much and some students may feel overwhelmed and find it difficult to keep up or have to sacrifice work in other courses.
The Rice Center for Teaching Excellence has some online calculators for estimating class workload that can help you get a general understanding of the time it may take for a student to read a particular number of pages of material at different levels or to complete essays or other types of homework.
Is the homework clearly connected with the learning goals of your students for a particular class session or week in the course? Students will find homework beneficial and valuable if they feel that it is meaningful. If you think students might see readings or assignments as busy work, think about ways to modify the homework to make a clearer connection with what is happening in class. Resist the temptation to assign something because the students need to know it. Ask yourself if they will actually use it immediately in the course or if the material or exercises should be relegated to supplementary material.
Students who speak English as a second language, are first generation students, or who may be having to work to support themselves as they take courses may need support to get the most out of homework. Detailed instructions for the homework, along with outlining your learning goals and how the assignment connects the course, can help students understand how the readings and assignments fit into their studies. A reading guide, with questions prompts or background, can help students gain a better understanding of a reading. Resources to look up unfamiliar cultural references or terms can make readings and assignments less overwhelming.
795a8134c1